Inner sole for a shoe

Abstract

Inner soles including a pressure sensor, transmitter, a global positioning tracking device, an accelerometer, a power source and control circuit are provided, as well as systems including the inner soles and methods of use.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An inner sole for a shoe, the inner sole comprising a main body made at least in part of a compressible material and a number of components embedded within the main body, the components comprising:
 a pressure sensor; 
 a transmitter; 
 a global positioning tracking device; 
 an accelerometer; 
 a power source connected to one or more of the pressure sensor, transmitter, global positioning tracking device and accelerometer; and 
 a control circuit configured to receive data from the pressure sensor, global positioning tracking device and accelerometer transmit it via the transmitter to a remote location; 
 wherein the inner sole comprises a sensor layer and a hardware layer, wherein the hardware layer comprises at least the power source and the control circuit; and 
 wherein the sensor layer comprises first and second sensing layers, with a conductive layer therebetween. 
 
     
     
       2. An inner sole according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor comprises first and second pressure sensing areas, the first pressure sensing area positioned in a heel region of the main body of the inner sole, and the second pressure sensing area positioned in a forefront region of the main body of the inner sole. 
     
     
       3. An inner sole according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor includes a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor, wherein the first pressure sensor is positioned in the heel region of the main body and the second pressure sensor is positioned in a forefront region of the main body. 
     
     
       4. An inner sole according to  claim 1 , further comprising a subscriber identity module (SIM) card. 
     
     
       5. A shoe comprising an inner sole according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       6. An inner sole according to  claim 1 , further comprising an altimeter connected to the control circuit. 
     
     
       7. An inner sole according to  claim 1 , further comprising an electrocardiographic sensor connected to the control circuit. 
     
     
       8. An inner sole according to  claim 1 , wherein the power source is a rechargeable battery and the inner sole further comprises a power inlet port. 
     
     
       9. A system comprising an inner sole according to  claim 1  together with a remote device to receive information from the transmitter of the inner sole, the remote device having means to manipulate the received data and to display the manipulated information. 
     
     
       10. A system according to  claim 9  further comprising a database of data for a number of brands and/or types of footwear, the data concerning the ability of the footwear to support the sole of the user; and means for comparing the information from the pressure sensor with the database and providing an indication of a preferred brand and/or type of footwear based on this comparison. 
     
     
       11. A method of determining optimum footwear for a user, the method comprising:
 using a system according to  claim 9 ; and comprising the steps of: 
 determining from the information received from the pressure sensor how a user's weight is distributed as their foot lands on the ground and/or how much pressure is put on the user's feet when moving from side to side; 
 transmitting this information to the remote device, the remote device having access to data for a number of brands and/or types of footwear, the data concerning the ability of a brand and/or type of footwear to support the sole of a user; and 
 comparing the distribution of the sensed forces against the data of the stored brands and/or types of footwear, and indicating a preferred brand and/or type of footwear based on this comparison. 
 
     
     
       12. A method of determining the length of time a person is off the ground, the method comprising:
 providing the person with at least one inner sole according to  claim 1 , 
 using a combination of accelerometer to determine a sharp acceleration and the pressure sensor to determine a simultaneous sharp drop in the sensed pressure thereby indicating a take-off time signifying that the person has left contact with the ground; 
 
       using a combination of the accelerometer to determine a sharp deceleration and the pressure sensor to determine a simultaneous sharp increase in the sensed pressure thereby indicating a landing time signifying the person has landed; and 
       measuring the time between the take-off and landing conditions to determine the time for which a user had left the ground.